Care UK strikers launch escalation of campaign

7 May 2014

On Wednesday the strikers from Care UK in Doncaster launched a serious escalation of their campaign against their bullying management who are trying to force through big pay cuts.

The strikers hired a coach and travelled the 175 miles from Doncaster to Colchester to target Care UK’s headquarters there. Strikers say this is just the start.

Taking the fight to the Colchester bosses

Management, while refusing to speak to the seventy strikers assembled outside directly, did eventually agree a delegation of three could go in and meet with the head of HR, who informed them essentially that management was not changing its position.

Care UK has recently had to pull out of a GP practice in Newcastle after a big campaign over what seems to be a growing bad reputation that the company has in quality of health service provision. It was forced to leave the contract half way through its tenure.

The striking Unison members in Doncaster who work with adults with learning disabilities say that their treatment is a product of the service being outsourced to a profiteering company which is backed by the huge investment company Bridgepoint Capital.

First ‘roving’ protest of many

The Doncaster service used to be provided by the National Health Service. Strikers say that hand in with driving down of their wages is a driving down of the standards of care when these services are run for a profit.

They have now held more than twenty days of strikes since the end of February and are currently on day three of a two week strike.

Because of Care UK’s intransigence strikers are now redoubling their efforts to highlight and publicise their plight through a concerted campaign which is set to target other Care UK locations.

But they are not stopping there – they also say they will target some of Bridgepoint Capital’s high street investments.

Outside the front doors of Care UK’s Colchester HQ

Crucially, the strikers need support if they are to continue to escalate their strikes and the campaign. Support has flooded in to date. But this is a fight to save our NHS.

How you can help:

Join the demonstration they are holding in Doncaster on Saturday 17 May

Can you invite strikers to address local meetings? admin@unison-dab.org.uk